This course provides an in-depth exploration of two central Christian doctrines - the Trinity and the person of Christ - as well as reflection on the role of Holy Scripture and the nature of theology. This is the first part of a two-part sequence in basic Christian doctrine. Lectures, tutorial discussions generated by students' questions, question and answer periods. Short papers, final take-home exam. Tutorial 10-11 am.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of two central Christian doctrines - the Trinity and the person of Christ - as well as reflection on the role of Holy Scripture and the nature of theology. This is the first part of a two-part sequence in basic Christian doctrine. Lectures, tutorial discussions generated by students' questions, question and answer periods. Short papers, final take-home exam. Tutorial 10-11 am.

Offers an overview of the principles, resources, and central themes of Christian theology - revelation, the doctrines of the Trinity, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and humanity in relation to God. Discussion paper, final exam, class participation.

This course introduces students to the central categories of Christian theology as these loci have been developed in what the Christian tradition has called Systematic Theology. The course will focus on how these major doctrinal themes have been articulated in the Reformed Protestant tradition, and set this perspective in dialogue with other traditional, contemporary, and ecumenical perspectives in theology. Each topic will be explored in relation to its classical formulation as well as with reference to modern (and postmodern) reassessments of the classical tradition in the cultural and global context of the Christian churches in the 21st century. Lectures, weekly reflection assignments, final essay.

An introduction to the main themes in theology, with attention to the nature of theological argumentation. Trinity, creation, theological anthropology, Jesus Christ, ecclesiology, other religions, eschatology, Anabaptist-Mennonite theology, political theology, modernity/postmodernity, the vocation of the theologian. Lectures, discussions of readings, midterm take-home test, student presentations, reflection paper, research paper.

This course examines the historical development and contemporary practice of theology as an exercise of intellectual probity and religious commitment. Topics include the origins of Christian theology, its historical development, the relationship of religious narrative to religious doctrine, faith and reason, revelation and authority, tradition and development. The course introduces Bernard Lonergan’s Method in Theology as a framework for conceiving theology as a unity of interrelated functions including exegesis and doctrine, systematic understanding, pastoral communication, and responses to contemporary hermeneutical challenges. Quizes, short papers, one 4-6 page paper, class preparation.

This course is designed for new students, and acts as an introduction to a number of central pastoral responsibilities: teaching the faith to new Christians, grasping the overall shape and purpose of Christian theology, assessing and meeting the demands of local culture and context, engaging the character of conversion and formation, and finally, grasping an overall shape to the history of Christian witness. The course pursues the historical examination of key catechetical texts from the New Testament to the contemporary period, analyzes their content and purpose, locates them historically, and seeks to engage students' own comprehensive vision of the Gospel, its communication, and pastoral practice. Lectures and weekly tutorials on the primary-source reading. Extensive reading, discussion, and mastering of content. Weekly content quizzes; 3 papers (6-10 pages each); final exam.

This course seeks both to introduce the different theological subspecialties, even as it orients the whole enterprise. It uses as its organizing concept that of mission. This also brings into play questions of our own cultural moment and the practical task of the church. Lectures, tutorials. Evaluation: class participation, two short reflection papers, one major paper.

An introduction to scholastic terms and concepts in the context of their use in the philosophical theology of Thomas Aquinas. Readings cover texts that treat the existence and attributes of God, being and essence, form and matter, substance and accident, the human soul and its faculties, happiness, human action, and natural law. Lectures, discussion; short papers, essay, and final exam.

A course focused on developing skills in natural reasoning: identification and evaluation of arguments and explanations; deductive and inductive reasoning; criteria of evidence and cogency; fallacies; inference to the best explanation. Lectures with demonstration of problems; weekly assignments.

Primer for theological students with little or no background in philosophical thought. Attention to revolutionary developments in philosophical thought and how they have influenced development of Christian faith. Book analysis, exam.

Located in the beginning of the Qur'an immediately following a short introductory prayer, Surat al-Baqara is the doorway to understanding this scripture and its distinctive style and organization of ideas. The largest chapter in the corpus, it covers the major themes and discourses and is uniquely suited to begin the study of the Qur'an and related scholarship. This course is an introduction to the Qur'an and will familiarize students with the hallmarks of both traditional and western scholarships. It will cover topics such as the collection of the Qur'an, abrogation, mysterious letters and the Quranic sciences. Students will become acquainted with some of the main classical and modern commentaries and will learn how to identify Surat al-Baqara's distinctive structure and unifying themes.

An introduction to the foundations and objective dimensions of Catholic moral theology. Among the topics to be studied are scripture, natural moral law, casuistry, relationship between faith and morality, magisterium, moral principles and norms, etc. Readings, lectures, discussions, short papers and final written exam; the course will also include a limited online component.

An introduction to the subjective dimensions of Catholic moral theology. Among the topics to be considered are concepts of the person, freedom and responsibility, conscience, aspects of moral decision making, virtue and vice. Lectures, discussions, readings, short papers and final exam; the course will also include a limited online component. (Prerequisite: Fundamental Christian Ethics I.)

This course explores themes in fundamental moral theology that are required for an understanding of the moral subject and contemporary moral issues. Topics include: a review of key ethical methodologies; the formation and role of conscience and ethical norms; the role of freedom, responsibility, the Christian community and magisterial teaching, virtue, and sin and conversion. Format: lecture and discussions. Evaluation: participation, short papers.

Schedule:· Begins:· Ends:Instructors:Patricia MurphyTeaching Methods: Lectures Other Information: Full Year · One CreditEnrollment Notes: This course is part of the Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's. See listing in Summer 2014 term for our regularly scheduled course.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

The notion that God “calls” a whole people (like Jews) to do work in the world – as well as the ideal that this can and sometimes does apply also to individuals – is unavoidable in Christianity. Yet it subject to facile interpretations, especially in a modern world hungry for meaningful personal narratives. The class will examine “call”, beginning with biblical materials, and extending forward to today. Modern notions of “work” will be critiqued in the light of older Jewish and Christians commitment to work and rest, a rest which acknowledges gift. Students will be challenged to discern call in connect both to their membership among a whole people, and to their specific end or beatitude in God.

This course explores the activity of God from creation to new creation, with special emphasis on the Spirit's work in the Church. We also examine the image of God in the human person and the nature of sin. This course presupposes Systematic Theology I. Lectures, tutorials. Short papers, final exam. Tutorial 10-11 am

This course explores the activity of God from creation to new creation, with special emphasis on the Spirit's work in the Church. We also examine the image of God in the human person and the nature of sin. This course presupposes Systematic Theology I.

An examination of formative and alternative theologies of redemption from Christianity's early years through the twentieth century, focusing on how theologians have variously conceived the problem to which redemption is addressed, the work and person of Jesus Christ, and the roles of God and humanity in effecting redemption. Theologians considered may include Irenaeus, Athanasius, Augustine, Calvin, Bushnell, Maurice, Niebuhr, Cone, Soelle, Heyward, and Ruether. Lectures, reading, discussions, presentation and final paper. Prerequisite: one introductory course in systematic theology.

Mystery of the Triune God with its Biblical sources and Patristic development, and an examination of the development of the understanding of the Immanent Trinity, with attention paid to particular issues, e.g. Filioque, notion of 'Person'. Also stressed is the development of a Trinitarian spirituality with some attention to the mystics. Lectures, mid-term test, end of term test.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

Close textual study of the Scriptural sources and dogmatic development of the church's reflection on the identity of the God who is revealed in Jesus the Christ. Students develop a systemic understanding of this material, leading to a personal and critical appropriation of the tradition in light of preparation for pastoral and theological leadership in the Church. Assignments: exegetical paper, 3 learning reports, take home final exam.

This course considers basic themes in the theology of the Holy Trinity from a biblical, historical and systematic viewpoint and addresses selected contemporary questions about the mystery of the tri-personal God.

Mystery of God Triune: biblical, liturgical, historical, and contemporary theology on the Trinity. Question of God in human experience, atheism, Trinitarian debates, feminist perspectives, the Trinity in the economy of salvation, implications for prayer. Lectures, discussions, short paper, final exam.

Answering Jesus' question: "Who do people say I am?", course uses Old Testament expectations, New Testament data, Conciliar definitions and contemporary issues. Lectures, mid-term test, final exam. This course is part of the Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's.

Schedule:· Begins:· Ends:Instructors:Charles AnangTeaching Methods: Lectures Other Information: First Semester · One CreditEnrollment Notes: Limited to the Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's. See listing in Winter term for our regularly scheduled course.

Systematic and pastoral approach to christology and soteriology. Emphasis on New Testament christologies, later developments, contemporary interpretations. Study of the impact on christology of such issues as the continuing quest for the historical Jesus, dialogue with other religions, and in particular with Judaism, the challenge of liberation and feminist theologies, and the new cosmology. Seminar participation, short paper, take-home exam.

Theology of creation. The human person in its created existence in the image of Christ; origin of humankind. Doctrine of original sin. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination.

Christian doctrine of creation; its scriptural foundation in Old and New Testaments; its difference from Greek philosophical theories; its history to present; its relation to evolution; contemporary theories. Man/woman: their nature and relationship to God and the world as understood in history of Christian thought. Monogenism vs. polygenism. The problem of evil, original sin and sin of the world. Lectures and discussion. Paper.

The new creation in Christ; God's universal salvific will, the mystery of Christian Justification, the new life in Christ within Church for the world. Eschatology. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination.

The mystery of the Church as seen in the light of Vatican II. Her foundation in Christ in Scripture and history that gives rise to her structure, mission, and four Marks. Mary as the Mother of the Church and eschatological icon. This course is part of the Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's.

Schedule:· Begins:· Ends:Instructors:Robert J. Barringer CSBTeaching Methods: Lectures Other Information: Full Year · One CreditEnrollment Notes: Limited to Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's. See listing in Winter term for our regularly scheduled course.

The mystery of the Church as seen in the light of Vatican II. Her foundation in Christ in Scripture and history that gives rise to her structure, mission, and four Marks. Mary as the Mother of the Church and eschatological icon. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination.

This course is an introduction to the history, theology and pastoral practice of Christian liturgy. Topics include: the role of ritual and symbol in human life, the historical development of Christian worship in both East and West, the relationship of liturgy to society and culture, liturgical theology, and critical approaches to liturgical practice. Lectures, readings, discussions, online postings, class presentation, research paper.

A theological exploration of Church, Ministry and Sacraments from a Presbyterian perspective in dialogue with other traditions and contemporary expressions of the Christian movement. Assignment and Paper. Prerequisites: A basic introductory theology course. Knox M.Div. students need to have Ref. Theology in Dialogue.

Introduction to sacraments in general, historical and systematic study of sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist) with special consideration of the pastoral viewpoint. Three short papers, seminars, final exam.

Historical and systematic study of the sacraments of healing (penance and anointing of the sick) and sacraments of growth (marriage and orders) with special consideration of the pastoral viewpoint. Three short papers, seminars, final exam.

Theological reflection on the sacramental life of the Church in the context or worship and education in sacramentality. This course is part of the Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's.

Theological reflection on the sacramental life of the Church in the context or worship and education in sacramentality. Lectures, course notes supplied and class discussions. Group presentations, mid-term test and final exam.

A study of Anglican Theology, principally through the reading of texts from Anglican thinkers of the 16th and 17th centuries. Study and discussion of the foundational themes of the English Reformation, as well as the 17th century development. The two great renewal movements of the 18th and 19th centuries: the evangelical movement and the Anglo-Catholic movement. The modern criticisms of the Anglican tradition. The question of Anglican identity and authority.

A study of the primary texts of the Church's first five centuries from the perspective of Eastern Christians, to identify and apply the vision of God and persons forged by the early doctors of the Church. Close readings of primary texts. Research paper.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with a broad range of styles, perspectives, and periods of Anglican theology, mainly within England, from the 16th to the 21st centuries. The Creeds (mostly the Apostles’) will be viewed through a variety of lenses, and the readings will all represent approaches and interpretations of aspects of the Creed from within the Anglican tradition, using primary source material.

Schedule: Irregular · Begins:· Ends:Instructors:Ephraim Radner, David WiddicombeTeaching Methods: Lectures Other Information: First Semester · One CreditEnrollment Notes: This course is offered in Winnipeg and for registration please contact the Wycliffe College Registrar's Office

This is a survey course in Anglican theology that will involve extensive reading. Using the lens of Scriptural interpretation as a way of approaching the sweep of Anglican theological thinking, this course will survey chronologically a broad range Anglican readers of Scripture in an attempt to gauge the development of the larger religious vision of Anglicanism over time. Beginning with Wycliffe, the course will move through a number of writers into the early 20th century, and end with some recent statements on the reading of Scripture from around the Anglican Communion. Lectures and weekly tutorials on the primary-source readings. Weekly content quizzes; midterm; final exam.

By examining major elements of John Wesley theology in his sermons, journals and diaries, this course will explore the heritages of Wesley theology within the tradition of Reformation theology and recognize the contribution of Wesleyan theology to the development of theology in general. Because Wesley attempted, about 200 years later after Luther and Calvin, to revitalize Reformation theology and overcome its limits in various contexts, both Wesleyan and non-Wesleyan (especially Calvinist) students will have a chance to learn and exercise the traditional theology in the present post-modern world. The course will be in seminar format with lecture input, analysis of readings, student presentation and class discussion. Attention is given to the nuances of the denominations represented by those who enrolled in the course.

Explores historical sources of division among Christian churches, origins of the modern ecumenical movement, the commitment of the Roman Catholic Church to Christian unity, growing agreement in sacramental life. Special attention to implications for catechesis and pastoral care of inter-church families.

This course will explore major approaches to the relationship between the Christian faith and other religions in the context of the plurality and diversity of the contemporary world. Evaluation: paper/assignment. Prerequisite: A basic introductory theology course

The city is both a geographical concentration of human habitation, culture, commerce and built environment and symbol rich in biblical resonance. Deeply ambiguous, the city holds both profound creative and redemptive potential and can be the symbol of what is most profoundly wrong with culture forming. In this course we will develop a theology of the city through biblical reflection and exegesis. Through interdisciplinary reading and reflection, together with on-the-street engagement, we will lay the foundations for an integral and transformative urban ministry.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

A survey of Christian missiology including the biblical basis of Christian mission and cross-cultural mission and ministry; theology of mission; Christianity and culture; history of Christian mission; global Christianity and mission today; mission, evangelism and other faiths; mission globalization and the electronic media; mission and justice, peace, reconciliation and the environment; mission and personhood; Christian anthropology and the anthropology of Christianity; and the future of Christian mission.

This course is for Christian theology students who wish to have a basic knowledge of the religion of Islam. Two basic questions are attempted in the course: "What is Islam?" and How do I engage the Muslim?". These two questions will underline the lectures and discussions.

A survey of some of the main themes in philosophy of religion including: faith and reason, religious experience, divine attributes, the problem of evil, petitionary prayer, miracles, and religious diversity. Lectures and discussion; short papers and essay.

In this course, we will examine different theories of human nature. We will be guided by two focusing questions: 'What makes me happy?' and 'What keeps me from being happy?'. We will address these questions on both individual and communal levels. Students will constantly be encouraged to connect the theories discussed in class with their own experience. Lectures, discussion, and short papers.

An examination of three different approaches to ethics. First, we will look at the foundations of Western morality through reading Plato's Gorgias; second, at Nietzsche's attack on Western morality in Beyond Good & Evil; and third at Aquinas' treatment of the virtues. Lectures, discussions, short papers, final exam.

In this course, we will look at some of the central problems of epistemology: What is knowledge? How do we get it? Exactly what do we know, anyway? How does knowledge differ from belief? And how do we respond to the challenges of scepticism and post-modernism? After starting with a historical survey of the answers to these questions, we will examine the answers proposed by the Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan.

A focused study of philosophers and representative texts in the early western philosophical tradition covering metaphysics, theory of knowledge, human nature, and ethics. Historical development of ideas from the pre-Socratics to Boethius. Lectures and discussion; short papers and essay.

In the 17th century, the thinkers of the Scientific Revolution were looking for explanations of the physical world that were valid everywhere and for all time. In the 18th century, Enlightenment thinkers were also looking for universally valid explanations but for human nature, morality and society. That all changed in the 19th century when thinkers realized that the contingency and mutability of existence make once-and-for-all answers impossible. Come find out how Hegel, Kierkegaard, Marx, Darwin, Nietzsche and Freud changed the way we look at the world forever. We will consider the thinkers ideas both in their historical context and in light of their implications for our own thinking about human nature, society, history, morality and God. Lectures, discussions, on-line questions. Two 6-8 page papers; class participation; on-line questions; final exam.

A study of the nature of postmodern homelessness in the light of a theological and phenomenological analysis of homecoming and homemaking. Biblical themes such as creation, exodus, covenant, land and kingdom will be interpreted in the context of present experiences of social homelessness, geo-political violence, international refugees, disconnectedness to the earth and an overwhelming sense of being nomads without roots in any place of community. Seminar. Evaluation: Class Participation 25%, reflection papers or one major essay 75%.

A review of the moral, pastoral and canonical principles of sound ministerial practice in the Roman Catholic tradition, along with an intensive practicum. Online component, lecture, discussion, tutoring. For lay students and ordination candidates in the M.Div. program at Regis College only. Oral Examination for pass/fail credit. Prerequisite: permission of the Regis College M.Div. Director.

This course will introduce students to three dimensions of hospitality, with the aim of having students construct their own theology of radical hospitality.

The phenomenon of hospitality: something of its history, theology, and practice in the Christian tradition.

The concept of hospitality: attending to some of the 20th century philosophical reflections on the theme.

The concrete practice of hospitality as it is described by guest lecturers and experienced in a pre-arranged hospitality practicum.

Sessions will alternate between guest lectures and seminar-style discussions. Students will participate in, and write a reflection paper on, a hospitality practicum, review one contemporary theology of hospitality, and write one research paper.

Some of the most debated topics in contemporary Islam revolve around the notion of gender and women's rights. This course is a historical and topical survey of the role of women and gender in the Islamic faith tradition. The first half of the course will review the history of women in Islamic societies, while the second will address some of the most prominent issues in contemporary discourses. Topics will include marriage, divorce, veiling, segregation, leadership, Islamic feminism and hermeneutics.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

The Bible and the Qur'an share many stories with common characters, such as Adam, Abraham, and Saul. Although there is some overlapping between the Bible and Quranic accounts, they demonstrate profound differences, which scholars have read in diverse ways across the ages. This course will explore the various ways this nexus has been treated in both western and traditional Muslim scholarship and how developments in literary theory can shed light on how the relationship between the texts is read. Seminars, short lectures, readings. Reflection/reading response papers:45%; Class participation: 10%

Will identify and deal with a complex set of issues involved in the relationship of the sciences -- natural, biological, and social -- to religion and theology. Particular attention will be given to methodological and epistemological matters. Assigned reading for class discussion and two short reports/papers related to lectures and class discussions.

Humans are story-telling animals. We find our identity, our memory, our vision and our meaning through the narratives of our lives. While the church has been a foundational story telling institution in our lives, it has clearly been eclipsed in the last half century by various forms of mass media, and most notably through cinema. In this course we will use the Toronto International Film Festival as our classroom. Engaging in a two way dialogue between film and Christian theology, students will develop a biblically theological understanding of contemporary film. We will explore the prophetic, pastoral, liturgical and theological contribution that contemporary cinema can make to Christian reflection and praxis in a late modern socio-historical context.

This orientation to several dimensions of Christian ethics - language, sources, norms, methods and concerns - aims to foster ethical awareness for dealing with moral challenges in personal, social, and church/religious life. To practice Canadian ethical reflection, these dimensions are introduced with reference to several concrete social issues and the public vocation of Christian ethics. Lectures, case studies, conversations; 3 essays (on moral formation; a text engagement paper, and a final paper on a mentor in Christian ethics, on professional ministry ethics, or on wealth and property). Prerequisites: basic Bible and theology.

The primary goal of this course is to help us think critically and sensitively about Christian values, norms, and commitments in ways that preserve a Christian orientation while taking into account the non-Christian and pluralistic context of modern society. Such thinking will involve a dialectical process where universal principles, values, and norms will be examined with reference to the particular experiences and realities that constrain human action and interaction. The aim is not to structure a strict formalistic ethical framework but rather to canvall various ethical methodologies, religious and secular, as resources for ethical thinking and praxis. Method of Evaluation: Critical book response(s), one term paper; class participation.

This course examines various theoretical and practical ethical issues that Christians face in today's changing society, with special emphases on multicultural reality in Canada and the global ecological crisis today. The course consists of four parts: the theoretical foundation for Christian ethical thinking (part 1), social justice issues in Canadian multi-cultural multi-ethnic, and multi-religious society (part 2), ecological crisis and the church's response (part 3), integration (part 4). Lecture and seminar. Minor and major papers, short weekly reading report and group discussion report, and one seminar presentation.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

Interfaith dialogue has many avenues, of which reading each other’s sacred texts is one of the most conducive to building understanding. The scriptures of Islam, Judaism and Christianity are particularly suited to this venture, because of the shared narratives, which demonstrate both commonalities and profound differences. This course focuses on narratives shared between the Bible and the Quran and how major Muslim, Christian, and Jewish scholars have approached the relationship between the texts across the ages. The course examines scholars such as Tabari (d. 923), Ibn Kathir (d. 1373), Abraham Geiger (d. 1874), W. St. Clair Tisdall (d.1929), Angelika Neuwirth and others. Students will learn the difference between author- and reader-oriented approaches, influence theory and intertextuality, and how different presuppositions can impact how the texts and their relationship are read. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in scripture-based interfaith dialogue and to experience first-hand how some of the established and developing approaches are practiced.

This course will study the documents of the Second Vatican Council with a view to understanding their theological foundations, their historical context and development, and their pastoral implications for today's church. One book report, total 20%; one discussion facilitation, total 10%; one document analysis paper, total 30%; one disputed issue paper, total 40%.

For final year students, a comprehensive and synthetic review of Roman Catholic doctrine in Systematic Theology. Personal appropriation of the mysteries of faith as well as effective pastoral explanation and communication of these mysteries is also stressed. Seminar presentations and final oral exam.

Critical assessment of the most important and formative theories on the Christian doctrine of reconciliation with particular reference to those that have shaped reformed perspectives. Lectures and group discussion. Evaluation by essay. Prerequisites: A basic introductory theology course plus another theology course. Knox students should have completed Church, Ministry, Sacraments.

Ignatius of Loyola wanted Jesuits to be "contemplatives in action". This describes the desire of many Christians today and the imperatives thrust upon us to be at once boned with God and with our fellow travellers. Reading in Loyola Zizioulas, J Macmurray, early Christian and contemporary theologians and mystics. NT accounts of prayer and action in Jesus of Nazareth. 10-12 page essay.

Participants explore the biblical sources, historical development, systematic elaboration, ecumenical context and transformative social implications of the doctrine of grace. Written assignments are varied in order to help participants sort out the different tasks involved in doing theology and progress toward a final synthetic case study. 3000 Level: lectures, quizzes, short papers. 6000 Level: lectures, seminar, book review, research paper.

We shall discuss the origin and nature of evil by engaging various biblical, theological, and anthropological resources. Topics will include lament literature (e.g. Job), natural evil, idolatry and the demonic, original sin and the correlation between victim and agent, and the relationship between justice and mercy. The course will consist of seminars in which participants will engage key readings relevant to the practice of interdisciplinary theology.

The course provides an exploration of how Christianity has understood the relationship among God, creation, humanity and spirituality, and how that understanding has contributed to the ecological challenges we currently face as well as can contribute to a helpful response. The course begins with an overview of our understanding of spirituality and creation during the patristic, medieval and reformation periods, then shifts to contemporary understandings drawing from current discussions of Christology, creation-centred spirituality, eco-feminism, deep ecology, and the healing of nature and the healing of self. Methods: Lectures, discussions. Evaluation: reflection paper, integration paper, class participation, practical integration

Through analysis of doctrinal statements of The United Church of Canada, their historical origins and contemporary theology, this course will enable students to become acquainted with United Church theology and the processes by which it has been developed, and to articulate their own faith in relation to their own experience, the faith of the church, and the practice of ministry in the context of challenges of today. Students will participate in the process by which "Christians of each new generation are called to state [the faith of the church] afresh in terms of the thought of their own age and with the emphasis their age needs" (Preamble, A Statement of Faith, 1940). Doctrinal statements on which the course will focus include the Doctrine section of the Basis of Union (1925), A Statement of Faith I1940), and A Song of Faith (2006); theological statements from other United Church documents will also be considered. Course methods include readings, discussions, and papers, and will incorporate students' reflections on their experience and integration of theory and practice into discussions and papers. Regular attendance and participation required.

Sacraments of baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, orders, and marriage as symbols of the world, challenge to human existence, life functions of the Church and features of Christology and revelation. Lectures, seminars, mid-term papers and final paper. Short paper on Symbol and Sacrament, total 20%; four short papers on one of the sacraments, 10% each (total 40%); three case study critiques for in-class discussion, total 10%; one final paper, total 30%.

Taking into account recent paradigm shifts in the theology of mission, this course invites participants to consider the relationship of mission to biblical sources, culture and context, unity and diversity in the church, post-colonism and intercultural engagement, and especially religious pluralism. The goal is to foster critical theological reflection on how the church might best understand and embody its mission in a multifaceted and globalizing world situation today. Methodology: lectures/discussions. Evaluations are based upon a mid-term paper, final research paper, and class participation. Prerequisite: Completion of first credit group or Level II.

The Christological-Trinitarian foundation of Mary's role in salvation history and in the Church is developed in two areas: 1) the foundations from Vatican II, Scripture, Church Fathers, and the four Marian Dogmas; 2) the celebration of Mary in liturgy, popular piety, and spirituality. Finally, Mary is studied in light of ecumenism, and in one contemporary theologian and twentieth-century developments for her profound significance for today. One midterm test, one mini-synthesis and a final oral examination. The course is held at 2661 Kingston Road location.

This course is a close reading of the English text of Calvin's "Institution Christianae religions" of 1559. We begin by situating Calvin's theology in the historical and theological context of the 16th century Reformation before turning to a careful examination of the "Institutes'" major doctrinal themes and their significance both for Calvin's context and the subsequent history of Protestant theology. Seminar style. weekly readings and reflections; major paper.

The course probes Luther's understanding of major Christian doctrines. Theological ferment in the Sixteenth Century will be examined in every class, including Luther's (theological) relationship to other Magisterial Reformers, Radical Reformers, and Roman-Catholic/ Counter-Reformation Reformers. Attention will also be paid to such matters as the extent to which the Magisterial Reformation was an aspect of Renaissance Humanism or a departure from it, and the (putative) anti-Semitism of Luther and its relation to more recent manifestations of anti- Semitism. Weekly readings, lectures, and classroom discussions. Essay (50%) and final examination (50%).

The Doctrine of Sin has suffered several critiques in recent times, and yet we live in an era aware of structural injustices and horrendous evil. This course will consider the major approaches to the doctrine in the tradition, the insights available in art and literature, and what a reconstruction of the doctrine might look like. Relations to contemporary subjects like psychotherapy and brain science will also be considered.

Overview and critical survey of the main elements of Bernard Lonergan's thought emphasizing his contribution as a significant Canadian thinker and the Thomistic and Ignatian context of this thought. We will emphasize Lonergan's philosophy of intentional consciousness, its basis for philosophical and theological method, the application of his method to select topics in systemic theology, social development, and post-humous developments of this thought.

The course will explore the major theological themes addressed by Jurgen Moltmann in relation to the traditions of Reformed Theology. Students will read key works of the author, engage in seminar presentations, and will do a research paper on an aspect of Moltmann's theology.

AD students enrol in KNT6585HS.

Schedule: Wednesday, 9:00 to 11:00Instructors:Charles James FenshamTeaching Methods: Lectures Other Information: Second Semester · One Credit

This course will develop knowledge and practice skills for intercultural life and leadership in heterogeneous publics. We will draw on interdisciplinary, intercultural materials, including: critical social and cultural theories, formation of complex identities at intersections of structures of social markers; scriptural, theological and ethical attention to difference and similarity; worship and educational resources; and the case of the United Church of Canada project "Becoming an Intercultural Church" as a vision and practice to live out its commitment to racial and social justice. (Qualifies as a designated elective in theology or ethics.) Seminar format with instructional input, small groups, modest cross-cultural immersion project. Evaluation: a book review (30%); a class presentation (30%), and a final integrative project (40%). Prerequisites: basic course in bible and theology.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

An introduction to comparative theology and comparative theologies, with special attention to their close interrelation and emergence with comparative religion and religious studies in the modern period. Our study will begin with a genealogical examination of the early modern discipline of "comparative theology", a liberal Christian project designed to overcome the prejudices and limitations of "dogmatic theology" through its engagement with the claims of other religious traditions. In a second major unit of the course, we will examine the mutual self-definition of neo-Orthodox theology and the field of comparative religious studies in the mid-twentieth centuries including the efforts to build bridges between these disciplines by prominent theologians in North America. Finally, we will turn our attention to contemporary critiques of comparative religion itself and the emergence of a "new" comparative theology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course is a survey of defining theological, ethical and spiritual writings in sixteenth century Anabaptism and its descendent movements, especially Mennonites. It offers an understanding of the religious and cultural forces that have shaped this tradition. It focuses especially on the flowering of North American Mennonite theology throughout the twentieth century and of global Mennonite theology after 1975. The course will proceed in a modified seminar format with an introductory lecture to each day's topic.

This course introduces the major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam in detail and also others in brief) of the world -- their historical setting, basic principles, significant features, Holy Scriptures, theology, etc. -- and a Christian perspective on them with an urgency to enter into interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

This course of lectures will examine Luther's writings on the theology of the cross and on human freedom; and Calvin's writings on Scripture and the Christian life. Weekly readings and final examination (oral or written).

Using the writings of Thomas Berry & theologians who work with the new cosmology, the course provides an introduction to eco-theology as well as the ways eco-theologians are articulating new understandings of theological anthropology, revelation, Christology, pneumatology, sin and salvation, and eschatology. Adult learning methods. Evaluation: participation, practical integration, reflection paper and integration paper.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

A study of the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962)-1965) and their contemporary significance for students of ministry. Emphasis is on the historical context, the central theological content of each of the texts, and their relevance to professional ministry today. The course will consist of: weekly readings, seminar presentation on each of the documents, and focused in-class discussion,. Students will be evaluated on class participation as well as three smaller assignments; a background; an in-depth; and a pastoral, integrative final assignment , all of which are intended to assist students in exploring more deeply their own interest in the Council

This course explores theological reflection in relation to violence and peace, particularly in Christian traditions. Theories of violence and non-violence as well as case studies from the past and present will provide the means to investigate the ways faith-based claims justify or promote enmity and hostility and/or hospitality and peacemaking in Christian practice. Attention may be given to violence/peace in connection with theologies of revelation and atonement; justice/love; gender, race, ethnicity, class, and disability; Empire and globalization processes; interfaith relations with Jewish, Muslim, and Canadian Aboriginal communities; and the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. Lectures, discussions, journal exercises, book review, presentation, and final research paper.

Eastern Christian thought has always been deeply concerned with ethical-social issues of the daily encounter with life and culture, but Christian Orthodoxy grounds solutions to these issues in tradition, not "progress". How should modern Orthodoxy respond to civil rights, war, sexuality, bioethics, multiculturalism, environmentalism, women's ministries, etc.?

Schedule: Monday, 19:00 to 22:00Instructors:Richard SchneiderOther Information: Full Year · Two CreditsAdditional Notes: Location: Larkin Building, room 340
This course was previously offered in summer 2012 as a one credit course.

This course will examine human sexuality from a range of theological and historical perspectives: scriptural, doctrinal, sociological, and ethical. Questions of sexual differentiation, desire, procreation, family, and marriage and celibacy will be discussed. The goal of the course is to provide the student with a broad base from which to discern a consistent pattern of Christian understanding regarding sexuality, within both historical and contemporary diversities. The course will engage broad reading, lecture, and discussion, with a final paper aimed at outlining and justifying a teaching syllabus for teenagers within a church setting (15 pages). Advanced Degree students will have an expanded reading list and will be writing a longer research paper on a chosen set topic relating to Christian formation with regard to sexuality within pluralistic cultures.

An exploration of central issues in philosophy, as addressed by Herman Dooyeweerd, Dirk Vollenhoven, and the Amsterdam School of neoCalvinian thought. The course tests the relevance of this tradition for recent developments in Western philosophy. Special attention is given to critiques of foundationalism, metaphysics, and modernity within reformational philosophy and in other schools of thought.

What does technology have to do with theology? Technological developments have challenged our views about what it means to be real, to be good, and even to be human - all prime theological ground. Today we do not simply live with technology, we live 'in' it. While society wrestles with the ethical implications of particular technologies, Christian philosophers, social critics , and theologians have taken a leading role in discussions about the nature of technology itself. They have expanded our idea of what technology is and how it shapes our daily lives and our future. In this course we will survey some of their most important theologically informed ideas. We will also apply them critically to our technological society, which the church itself both inhabits and seeks to engage.

Wittgenstein's philosophy continues to generate enormous interest, and his name is frequently cited in connection with radical developments in theology and the philosophy of religion. Via an exploration of the different accounts of language and meaning he presents in both his early and later work, this course will focus on his thought as it relates to religious belief and commitment in particular.

Religious belief is linguistically and culturally determined. Specific 'language use' is the particular means of appropriating and forming religious consciousness. There is this a linguistic bias in every religious belief system. This course relies on the linguistic philosophical writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein, especially his exposition of language-games, family resemblances, rule-following, and forms of life, in order to explore the linguistic and cultural determination of religious belief.

This course will focus on two of Ricoeur?s essay collections, From Text to Action and Figuring the Sacred. Students will explore the general shape of Ricoeur?s hermeneutical phenomenology, including such themes as textual interpretation, action, explanation, understanding, ideology, and utopia.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course will explore the work of seminal Protestant and Catholic theologians associated with the re-shaping of 'modern' theology in the twentieth century. Our focus will be on the 'nature-grace' relationship - understood as the distinction and connection that theologians posit or discern between 'divine' and 'human' power, freedom, and desire. The famous debate between Karl Barth and Emil Brunner (Natural Theology, ET, 1948) , and the more recent discussions of Leonardo Boff (Liberating Grace, ET, 1979) and Stephen Duffy (The Graced Horizon: Nature and Grace in Modern Catholic Thought, 1992) will stimulate our contemporary reflections on the 'covenantal' nature of reality and the spirituality of existence. Participants will engage key reading s in a seminar setting.

The linguistic turn and the interpretive turn in twentieth-century philosophy play a role in many cultural controversies and academic debates. This seminar examines representative texts from three schools of thought: German philosophical hermeneutics (Hans-Georg Gadamer), French poststructural feminism (Julia Kristeva), and Anglo-American analytical philosophy of language (John Searle).

This course will explore current contributions to the field of feminist social thought. We will read from figures such as Gloria Anzaldu, Seyla Benhabib, Judith Butler, Nancy Fraser, and Chandra Mohanty on various ways of understanding the relationships between gendered identities and sociopolitical states of affairs.

The goal of the course is to study significant accounts of the nature of human beings in 20th-century French continental philosophy. It will begin by investigating the existential-phenomenological conceptions of human nature developed by Jean-Paul Sartre and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Persons, on such accounts, should be understood as being in the world, as embodied, as essentially defined by relations to others and relations of language, and as characterized by existential problems of anxiety and authenticity. We will then take up the development and transformation of this story in Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari, and Michel Foucault, who oppose to the humanist model of the well-formed and autonomous individual the model of persons as dispersed into networks of language and power.

Everyone participates in the arts and culture, but who can say why? This course asks why the arts are important and addresses issues that face contemporary creators and interpreters of culture. Our aim is to develop imaginative, faith-oriented participation in the arts and culture. We will consider such topics as artistic freedom and social responsibility; communication through the arts and culture; the impact of globalization on cultural communities; the ethics of mass entertainment; the aesthetic quality of urban environments; and the role of arts in worship and interreligious dialogue. In addition to class sessions, we will attend various events in the city. Lecture, discussion, class presentations, attendance of public events, paper writing. Class participation: 20% / Seminar presentations: 30% / Research project: 50%.

This course will reflect on the nature of the social world in a way that emerges from and is integrally linked with Christian faith. Challenging the common view that individuals are fully independent and self-made, we will look at the different kinds of communities that define us, in both restrictive and enabling ways: family, political society, religious community, and groups formed on the basis of other kinds of shared identities. We will look at the way in which we emerge as individuals only through these primary identifications, and at the conflicted way in which our individuality is essentially an attempt to understand and even overcome them. We will also explore the tensions that arise between these various communities and the claims upon us?between family and social membership, between religious community and political membership, between formal legal identity and concrete group identification, and so on. The course includes readings from diverse philosophical, religious, literary, and social-scientific texts. It aims to develop an existentially and philosophically rich Christian sensitivity to the complexity of social relationships that shape us and make claims on us.

An exploration of doing theology in the Canadian Context. Using a multidisciplinary approach (literary, social, political and economic) the course will examine how this particular context affects how we think, pray and act as Christians.Evaluation for BD: Class participation and 2 papers (10 pages each).Evaluation for AD: Class participation and major paper.

While theology has always found a fruitful dialogue partner in the arts, the course will approach the world of contemporary music in genres as diverse as rock, bluegrass, hip hop, folk and alternative rock as theological resources in their own right. Attending to the interweaving of biblical iconography, symbols, narratives, motifs and themes in the lyrics of these artists, we will explore the prophetic, pastoral, liturgical and theological contribution that they make for Christian reflection and praxis in a late modern socio-historical context. There will also be focussed attention on the artistry of Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. Seminar. Evaluation: class participation 25%, reflection papers or one major essay 75%.

This class will introduce students to a number of religious traditions in their classical formulations and their contemporary practices. Students will also explore the academic study of religion, considering how various disciplines approach the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions. This introduction will provide students a framework within which to reflect on their own experiences, as well as prepare them for further academic study in both the humanities and social sciences. Traditions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

In the contemporary world, ecumenism must include dialogue between Christianity and world religions. This course will examine not only Christian attitudes to world religions, but also attitudes of world religions to other belief systems. Lectures, discussion, paper.

The seminar will undertake to study the Islamic Legal Theory (usul al-fiqh) and Practice (fiqh) in conjunction with Islamic ethics, which serves as an integral part of the juridical tradition of Islam. The sources of law like the Qur'an, the Tradition (Sunna), Consensus (Ijma'), Analogy (qiyas) and Reason ('aql) will be examined in connection with the process by which legal decisions in Islam are made. The course will provide an opportunity to students of comparative ethics and law to learn about one of the well-developed religious-ethical systems in Abrahamic traditions. In addition, this course will offer a study of interaction between faith and history in Islam which has impacted upon the development of ethical-legal judgments in the Shari?a. Assessment: Reading papers, book reviews, and a final paper.

This course will begin with a summation of Biblical teaching about wealth and poverty, and the succeeding sessions will study diverse interpretations of that teaching in the history of Christian thought. Attention will be paid to the historical context of the theology under study, including contemporary ethical teaching and economic practice. The goals of the course will be to appreciate the paradoxical character of Biblical teaching on wealth and poverty, as well as the diverse ways in which theologies on wealth and poverty have reflected the impact of socio-economic change. The value of the study will be its assisting students to cope with 21st century challenges in its uneven regional and social distribution of wealth and poverty. Lectures and seminars. Requirements: one essay and exam.

The realities of human sexuality, marriage and family from a Christian perspective. Topics to be considered include: sexuality in the context of the person, marriage as sacrament, marriage permanence, marriage as procreative, marital fidelity, and homosexuality. Two short papers and seminar presentation.

A study of the basis of sexuality and marriage and select related issues in light of the Catholic moral tradition. Readings, lectures, discussions, paper, mid-term test, final exam; the course will also include a limited online component. (Prerequisite: Fundamental Christian Ethics I and II or Permission of Instructor)

A study of the basis of sexuality and marriage and select related issues in light of the Catholic moral tradition. Readings, lectures, discussions, paper, final exam; the course will also include a limited online component. (Prerequisite: Fundamental Christian Ethics I and II or Permission of Instructor)

A critical survey of papal thought from Leo XIII's emphasis on workers' rights to John Paul II's focus on the broader theme of human rights. Reflection papers and book report, or major paper, exam. Prerequisite: Introductory course in moral theology.

A study of select life issues in light of the Catholic moral tradition. Among the topics to be considered are concepts of the person and the question of the meaning of suffering, new reproductive technologies, abortion, healthcare resource challenges, the new genetics and the ethics of enhancement , questions of cooperation, and various end of life issues. Lectures, readings, discussions, paper, book review, mid-term test and final written exam; the course will also include a limited online component. (Prerequisite: Fundamental Christian Ethics I and II or by Permission of Instructor)

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course focuses on a variety of ethical issues at the end of life. Including existential questions about the meaning and significance of death and dying, suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, appropriate ethical care at the end of life, medically assisted nutrition and hydration, and other issues of particular concern to class participants.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course focuses on Thomas Aquinas? treatment of the theological virtues approaching it in relation to recent work in ?Virtue Ethics?. The course begins with recent philosophical work focusing on the recovery of the virtues for moral reflection and life, and addresses key questions and challenges to this renewed emphasis on the virtues. Aquinas? treatment of the virtues will be read in conjunction with both classic and contemporary commentators and critics.

This course examines both the importance and challenges of "common good" and of "community" for the social witness of the church as integral form of the mission of church in the world. Students will clarify their moral stances through close readings of texts and contexts, develop skills to discern and evaluate various policies and activities on specific topics of public concern and attend to implications for social ministry and the public vocation of Christian ethics. Discussion, engaged reflection papers and major project. (This course qualifies as a designated elective in theology or ethics.) Pre-requisites: basic courses in ethics and theology.

This course seeks to understand the basis upon which the Bible can be read "figuratively", within the context of an understanding of historical and temporal reality. The course makes use of exegesis (1 Corinthians 10, Genesis, and Ephesians 1), history of interpretation (both Christian and Jewish), philosophy of time, and the history of the philosophy of time as relevant to Christian theology and exegesis. The goal of the course is to outline a working framework for understanding how traditional figural referents in the Bible can be sustained in Christian reading of Scripture. Seminar format. Evaluation: Based on seminar performance (discussion and presentation of weekly research - 50%) and a final paper (50%).

Explores Christian Kenosis as an expression of the unconditional love of God made known in Christ. Here the mutual relations of self-giving in the Trinity may be reflected in the lives of human persons. Of key significance is Hans Urs von Balthasar's appreciation of the paschal mystery. Also in dialogue are: Sarah Coakley, John Paul II and Thomas Merton. Lectures, discussion, class presentations, research paper, one short paper and a research paper.

This course explores a range of proposals in contemporary ecclesiology across the ecumenical spectrum. Special attention will be given to questions surrounding the Church's concretely historical character, as in the ecclesiology of "practices" and its critics. Authors read may include Ratzinger, Jenson, Hauerwas, Cavanaugh, Radner and Healy. Seminar discussion; brief, bullet-point responses to the readings; 2500-word final paper.

This course will examine how Christians and Christian traditions have understood and justified the first "mark of the Church", her unity. This will include an examination of the historical constraints on such understandings. Key writings from the early Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Western traditions(Catholic and Protestant), and ecumenical authors will be read. Seminar presentations and research papers required.

Both Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan devote much study to the role of philosophy in theology. Moreover, both are influenced importantly in this effort by the modern interpretation of Thomas Aquinas developed earlier by Belgian philosopher and mystical psychologist Joseph Maréchal. However, besides some obvious similarities in what they take from Maréchal, there also are certain crucial (if often unnoticed) differences. This course investigates these crucial philosophical differences and how they influence the basic theological perspectives of Rahner and Lonergan. Special attention will be given to their differing theological accounts of religious experience, Jesus’ human knowledge, and the role of the psychological analogy in Trinitarian theology.

This course examines Thomas Aquinas' theology of the Christian life as it is presented in the 'secunda secundae' of the 'Summa Theologiae': faith, hope and love are the foundational principles that ground the concrete living out the 'imitatio Christi' in a life of prayer, service, preaching and leadership in the Church. The course teaches a method of closed textual reading, and proposes an interpretation of Aquinas' own method that distinguishes and holds together doctrinal judgements and systematic understanding.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

A seminar course in which "Church Dogmatics III/2" will be studied. The topics: the human in the cosmos; the human as an object of theological knowledge; the human as a creature of God, and as the covenant partner of God; the human as body and soul; the human in time. Weekly readings, class participation; an in-class presentation; an oral examination.

Central ideas in the Kierkegaard corpus and their relevance to contemporary theological and philosophical concerns. Introductory lecture, seminar discussion of readings, discussions, one major term paper.

Committed to Christ, configured by their respective traditions, clearly friends, these two theologians were respectful at all times in their dialogue, distinctive in their differences and exemplified ecumenism in the academy and at the level of pastoral interchange. The Twentieth century Christian world was indebted to the work of Karl Barth and Hans Urs von Balthasar; this course is a chance to learn why and what impact their theology has in the twenty first century.

The purpose of this course is to survey the contemporary trends in the theology of faith and culture with an emphasis on mission, dialogue, interculteration, and the emergence of contextual theologies. A major portion of the course will focus on understanding the paradigm shift from a classicist notion of culture to one that has given rise to the various contextual approaches and the so-called "World Christianity(ies)." We will survey some of the various models, methods, and issues involved in this paradigm shift. The course will also highlight certain tensions arising from this context such as the local-universal church tension, the dialogue-evangelism tension, the interculturation-syncretism tension, and the question of the theology of religions. Major paper.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

An in-depth study of the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) with an emphasis on the historical context, redaction history of the text, theological content, systematic relationships, and contemporary questions of conciliar reception and hermeneutics. The course will consist of weekly readings, seminar presentations and focused in-class discussion. Students will be evaluated on class participation, one seminar presentation and a research essay.

This seminar will focus on the writings of Augustine, Aquinas, and Kant that have been and continue to be seminal texts for the contemporary discipline of moral theology/theological ethics. The goal will be to understand their conceptions of human happiness, the nature of morality, the means (actions, virtues, sin, law, grace, friendship) by which one pursues happiness or lives morally. We will also attend to their understanding of the individual and political society. While we will focus on primary sources, students will also be introduced to key interpretations of Augustine, Aquinas, and Kant by contemporary moral theologians.

This course will examine the development of Ecumenical Missional Ecclesiology in the 20th and 21st century with a focus on the dimensions of missional ecclesiology for the North American context. The course will explore the theological origins of ecumenical missional ecclesiology, the biblical and hermeneutical dimension of such theology, the present context and its relationship to such ecclesiology and the direction of ecumenical missional ecclesiology. Evaluation: Seminars, papers. Prerequisite: AD program enrolment.

An examination of the idea of self in Hinduism and Islam through representative contemporary thinkers Rabindranath Tagore and Muhammad Iqbal respectively. How is self understood? What is its relation to the ideas of person and personal identity? What are the philosophical and theological presuppositions of the idea of self? Answers are supplemented by classical and other contemporary writings of the religious tradition in question, thereby accessing the worldview associated with that tradition. Introductory lecture, weekly student presentations and discussions or assigned readings. Prerequisite: a course in theology or philosophy of religion. Requirements: Class participation and presentations 10% (weeks 2-12); Report/Critique (due 4th week) 15%; Midterm class test (week 7) 25%; Essay (due last week) 50%.

Examination of the nature of theology from its emergence with the ancient Greek philosophers to its establishment as an academic enterprise in the middle ages. Seminar presentations (2) and a major paper.

Critically explores the theology and spirituality of Dorothee Soelle, with special attention on the themes of creation-liberation theology, suffering, God, feminist concerns, embodied spirituality, and mysticism. Seminar discussion, lecture, short presentations, major essay.

No serious philosopher after Kant has been able to avoid his critique of metaphysical speculations about God, the soul, and the meaning of existence. The horrors of recent history give added urgency to such questions. Theodor W. Adorno has posed these issues in dramatic and decisive ways. This seminar studies his reflections in Negative Dialectics on the status of metaphysics "after Auschwitz."

Schedule: Tuesday, 19:00 to 22:00Instructors:Lambert ZuidervaartTeaching Methods: Seminars Other Information: Second Semester · One CreditEnrollment Notes: Permission of the instructor

Challenges of religious pluralism to Christianity appearing from outside Christianity, and responses to it. How do other world religious traditions think about Christianity or religions for that matter? What are the theoretical problems of religious pluralism and the response to them from within Christianity? Discussions of selected readings and occasional lectures as appropriate.

Terrorism, war, genocide, sexual abuse, murder: how can the human mind make sense of these horrors without reducing them to the 'obscenity of understanding', of trying to imagine the unimaginable? How can we possibly try to imagine the mind of perpetrators of violence, sexual abuse and terror? Yet these phenomena are becoming more pervasive and immediate and the destruction of human bodies and minds is worsening. How is it possible to sustain hope and faith in human goodness when our capacity for evil grows more sinister and ingenious? We will explore these and other questions comparatively and cross-culturally, examining the perspectives of religious, philosophical and psychoanalytic thinkers who represent Western and non-Western cultural and religious traditions.

Readings in feminist theology, ethics, and critical theory to provide advanced resources for linking spiritual life and struggles to transform vast structures of injustice and violation with responsiveness to women's diverse lives, needs, and communities. Attention to challenges and methods central for feminist and Christian faith-and-justice ethics as applied to specific movements for transformation and to the development of collegial skills in discussions and scholarship. Collaborative seminar format, presentations and responses, major paper.

Inquiry into the role and meaning of religion in a post/metaphysical, post/secular time within the frameworks of critical theory, psychoanalysis and ethics. Authors include Horkheimer, Adorno, Benjamin, Freud, Habermas and their theological/religious interlocutors, i.e. Charles Davis, Elisabeth Schuessler Fiorenza, Hent de Vries. Major paper.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

Interfaith dialogue has many avenues, of which reading each other’s sacred texts is one of the most conducive to building understanding. The scriptures of Islam, Judaism and Christianity are particularly suited to this venture, because of the shared narratives, which demonstrate both commonalities and profound differences. This course focuses on narratives shared between the Bible and the Quran and how major Muslim, Christian, and Jewish scholars have approached the relationship between the texts across the ages. The course examines scholars such as Tabari (d. 923), Ibn Kathir (d. 1373), Abraham Geiger (d. 1874), W. St. Clair Tisdall (d.1929), Angelika Neuwirth and others. Students will learn the difference between author- and reader-oriented approaches, influence theory and intertextuality, and how different presuppositions can impact how the texts and their relationship are read. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in scripture-based interfaith dialogue and to experience first-hand how some of the established and developing approaches are practiced.

Ignatius of Loyola wanted Jesuits to be "contemplatives in action". This describes the desire of many Christians today and the imperatives thrust upon us to be at once boned with God and with our fellow travellers. Reading in Loyola Zizioulas, J Macmurray, early Christian and contemporary theologians and mystics. NT accounts of prayer and action in Jesus of Nazareth. 20-25 page essay.

Participants explore the biblical sources, historical development, systematic elaboration, ecumenical context and transformative social implications of the doctrine of grace. Written assignments are varied in order to help participants sort out the different tasks involved in doing theology and progress toward a final synthetic case study. 3000 Level: lectures, quizzes, short papers. 6000 Level: lectures, seminar, book review, research paper.

We shall discuss the origin and nature of evil by engaging various biblical, theological, and anthropological resources. Topics will include lament literature (e.g. Job), natural evil, idolatry and the demonic, original sin and the correlation between victim and agent, and the relationship between justice and mercy. The course will consist of seminars in which participants will engage key readings relevant to the practice of interdisciplinary theology.

The course provides an exploration of how Christianity has understood the relationship among God, creation, humanity and spirituality, and how that understanding has contributed to the ecological challenges we currently face as well as can contribute to a helpful response. The course begins with an overview of our understanding of spirituality and creation during the patristic, medieval and reformation periods, then shifts to contemporary understandings drawing from current discussions of Christology, creation-centred spirituality, eco-feminism, deep ecology, and the healing of nature and the healing of self. Methods: Lectures, discussions. Evaluation: reflection paper, integration paper, class participation, practical integration.

This is an historical and theological study of the development of Eucharistic thought and worship in the West, with some reference to the East. It uses a seminar format, in which class members have read the assigned readings and are able to join in their analysis under the guidance of the professor. Particular attention will be paid to twentieth century attempts to reconsider theological liturgical, and political considerations that have divided the church on the source of its unity.

This course will consist in a close reading of the English text of Calvin's "Institution Christianae religions" of 1559. We begin by situating Calvin's theology in the historical and theological context of the 16th century Reformation before turning to a careful examination of the "Institutes'" major doctrinal themes and their significance both for Calvin's context and the subsequent history of Protestant theology. Seminar style. weekly readings and reflections; major paper.

The course probes Luther's understanding of major Christian doctrines. Theological ferment in the Sixteenth Century will be examined in every class, including Luther's (theological) relationship to other Magisterial Reformers, Radical Reformers, and Roman-Catholic/ Counter-Reformation Reformers. Attention will also be paid to such matters as the extent to which the Magisterial Reformation was an aspect of Renaissance Humanism or a departure from it, and the (putative) anti-Semitism of Luther and its relation to more recent manifestations of anti- Semitism. Weekly readings, lectures, and classroom discussions. Essay (50%) and final examination (50%).

The Doctrine of Sin has suffered several critiques in recent times, and yet we live in an era aware of structural injustices and horrendous evil. This course will consider the major approaches to the doctrine in the tradition, the insights available in art and literature, and what a reconstruction of the doctrine might look like. Relations to contemporary subjects like psychotherapy and brain science will also be considered.

Overview and critical survey of the main elements of Bernard Lonergan's thought emphasizing his contribution as a significant Canadian thinker and the Thomistic and Ignatian context of this thought. We will emphasize Lonergan's philosophy of intentional consciousness, its basis for philosophical and theological method, the application of his method to select topics in systemic theology, social development, and post-humous developments of this thought.

The course will explore the major theological themes addressed by Jurgen Moltmann in relation to the traditions of Reformed Theology. Students will read key works of the author, engage in seminar presentations, and will do a research paper on an aspect of Moltmann's theology.

Basic Degree students enrol in KNT3585HS.

Schedule: Wednesday, 9:00 to 11:00Instructors:Charles James FenshamTeaching Methods: Lectures Other Information: Second Semester · One Credit

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

An introduction to comparative theology and comparative theologies, with special attention to their close interrelation and emergence with comparative religion and religious studies in the modern period. Our study will begin with a genealogical examination of the early modern discipline of "comparative theology", a liberal Christian project designed to overcome the prejudices and limitations of "dogmatic theology" through its engagement with the claims of other religious traditions. In a second major unit of the course, we will examine the mutual self-definition of neo-Orthodox theology and the field of comparative religious studies in the mid-twentieth centuries including the efforts to build bridges between these disciplines by prominent theologians in North America. Finally, we will turn our attention to contemporary critiques of comparative religion itself and the emergence of a "new" comparative theology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course is a survey of defining theological, ethical and spiritual writings in sixteenth century Anabaptism and its descendent movements, especially Mennonites. It offers an understanding of the religious and cultural forces that have shaped this tradition. It focuses especially on the flowering of North American Mennonite theology throughout the twentieth century and of global Mennonite theology after 1975. The course will proceed in a modified seminar format with an introductory lecture to each day's topic.

Using the writings of Thomas Berry & theologians who work with the new cosmology, the course provides an introduction to eco-theology as well as the ways eco-theologians are articulating new understandings of theological anthropology, revelation, Christology, pneumatology, sin and salvation, and eschatology. Adult learning methods. Evaluation: participation, practical integration, reflection paper and integration paper.

This course explores theological reflection in relation to violence and peace, particularly in Christian traditions. Theories of violence and non-violence as well as case studies from the past and present will provide the means to investigate the ways faith-based claims justify or promote enmity and hostility and/or hospitality and peacemaking in Christian practice. Attention may be given to violence/peace in connection with theologies of revelation and atonement; justice/love; gender, race, ethnicity, class, and disability; Empire and globalization processes; interfaith relations with Jewish, Muslim, and Canadian Aboriginal communities; and the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. Lectures, discussions, journal exercises, book review, presentation, and final research paper.

This course will examine human sexuality from a range of theological and historical perspectives: scriptural, doctrinal, sociological, and ethical. Questions of sexual differentiation, desire, procreation, family, and marriage and celibacy will be discussed. The goal of the course is to provide the student with a broad base from which to discern a consistent pattern of Christian understanding regarding sexuality, within both historical and contemporary diversities. The course will engage broad reading, lecture, and discussion, with a final paper aimed at outlining and justifying a teaching syllabus for teenagers within a church setting (15 pages). Advanced Degree students will have an expanded reading list and will be writing a longer research paper on a chosen set topic relating to Christian formation with regard to sexuality within pluralistic cultures.

An exploration of central issues in philosophy, as addressed by Herman Dooyeweerd, Dirk Vollenhoven, and the Amsterdam School of neoCalvinian thought. The course tests the relevance of this tradition for recent developments in Western philosophy. Special attention is given to critiques of foundationalism, metaphysics, and modernity within reformational philosophy and in other schools of thought.

Basic Degree students enrol in ICT3702HS.

Schedule:Online Course· Begins:· Ends:Instructors:Other Information: Second Semester · One CreditEnrollment Notes: Please note: In order to complete your registration for this course, you must contact the ICS Associate Academic Dean / Registrar at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu

An exploration of central issues in philosophy, as addressed by Herman Dooyeweerd, Dirk Vollenhoven, and the Amsterdam School of neoCalvinian thought. The course tests the relevance of this tradition for recent developments in Western philosophy. Special attention is given to critiques of foundationalism, metaphysics, and modernity within reformational philosophy and in other schools of thought.

Wittgenstein's philosophy continues to generate enormous interest, and his name is frequently cited in connection with radical developments in theology and the philosophy of religion. Via an exploration of the different accounts of language and meaning he presents in both his early and later work, this course will focus on his thought as it relates to religious belief and commitment in particular.

This course will focus on two of Ricoeur?s essay collections, From Text to Action and Figuring the Sacred. Students will explore the general shape of Ricoeur?s hermeneutical phenomenology, including such themes as textual interpretation, action, explanation, understanding, ideology, and utopia.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course will explore the work of seminal Protestant and Catholic theologians associated with the re-shaping of 'modern' theology in the twentieth century. Our focus will be on the 'nature-grace' relationship - understood as the distinction and connection that theologians posit or discern between 'divine' and 'human' power, freedom, and desire. The famous debate between Karl Barth and Emil Brunner (Natural Theology, ET, 1948) , and the more recent discussions of Leonardo Boff (Liberating Grace, ET, 1979) and Stephen Duffy (The Graced Horizon: Nature and Grace in Modern Catholic Thought, 1992) will stimulate our contemporary reflections on the 'covenantal' nature of reality and the spirituality of existence. Participants will engage key reading s in a seminar setting.

The linguistic turn and the interpretive turn in twentieth-century philosophy play a role in many cultural controversies and academic debates. This seminar examines representative texts from three schools of thought: German philosophical hermeneutics (Hans-Georg Gadamer), French poststructural feminism (Julia Kristeva), and Anglo-American analytical philosophy of language (John Searle).

Everyone participates in the arts and culture, but who can say why? This course asks why the arts are important and addresses issues that face contemporary creators and interpreters of culture. Our aim is to develop imaginative, faith-oriented participation in the arts and culture. We will consider such topics as artistic freedom and social responsibility; communication through the arts and culture; the impact of globalization on cultural communities; the ethics of mass entertainment; the aesthetic quality of urban environments; and the role of arts in worship and interreligious dialogue. In addition to class sessions, we will attend various events in the city. Lecture, discussion, class presentations, attendance of public events, paper writing. Class participation: 20% / Seminar presentations: 30% / Research project: 50%.

An exploration of doing theology in the Canadian Context. Using a multidisciplinary approach (literary, social, political and economic) the course will examine how this particular context affects how we think, pray and act as Christians.Evaluation for BD: Class participation and 2 papers (10 pages each).Evaluation for AD: Class participation and major paper.

In the contemporary world, ecumenism must include dialogue between Christianity and world religions. This course will examine not only Christian attitudes to world religions, but also attitudes of world religions to other belief systems. Lectures, discussion, paper.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course focuses on a variety of ethical issues at the end of life. Including existential questions about the meaning and significance of death and dying, suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, appropriate ethical care at the end of life, medically assisted nutrition and hydration, and other issues of particular concern to class participants.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

This course focuses on Thomas Aquinas? treatment of the theological virtues approaching it in relation to recent work in ?Virtue Ethics?. The course begins with recent philosophical work focusing on the recovery of the virtues for moral reflection and life, and addresses key questions and challenges to this renewed emphasis on the virtues. Aquinas? treatment of the virtues will be read in conjunction with both classic and contemporary commentators and critics.

Outlines the history of Christian missions from its beginnings in Pentecost to the end of the 20th century, followed by area studies of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe, and concluding with a consideration of the transition from missions to development to post-development. Short papers and collaborative internet project.

A review of all of the surviving works of Richard Hooker, often called the first theologian of Anglicanism, his Calvinism and reaction to Calvinism, his scholasticism, and his defence of the institutions of the Church of England. Seminars, short report and major paper. (Taught in alternate years)

The course will explore significant ways that Christians have theologized the arts, artistry and art culture in Eastern and Western Christendom. The course will compare the varieties of theologies that have emerged from within the Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. The study will involve looking at paintings, icons, altarpieces, and socially and culturally engaged works of art as well as pertinent theological writings. Students will be evaluated on class participation, seminar presentations, and a research paper on an approved topic. The methodology used in the course will be a mix of lecture and class discussion on assigned readings. Class participation, 20%; seminar presentations, 30%; Major research paper, 50%.

Emphasis on the history of the iconoclastic controversy and ecumenical councils, especially for the development of Christology. Readings from Nicaea II, Theodore the Studite, John of Damascus and Theodore Abu Qurrah. Iconography and spirituality. Church visit. Lectures-seminar, reflection papers, major paper. Prerequisite: Three courses from the Theological or Historical departments.

Study of Origen's life and thought in historical context. Reading and analysis of major works. Greek and Latin are useful but not required. Seminar presentations, participation in discussion, one research essay.

This seminar will explore the special relationship of the arts to the concept of the imagination in the history of Western thought. It will also consider the implications this relationship was had for art's role in the areas of theology and ethics, areas in which reason has been thought to fail in providing adequate knowledge.

A review of all of the surviving works of Richard Hooker, often called the first theologian of Anglicanism, his Calvinism and reaction to Calvinism, his scholasticism, and his defence of the institutions of the Church of England. Seminars, short report and major paper. (Taught in alternate years)

The course will explore significant ways that Christians have theologized the arts, artistry and art culture in Eastern and Western Christendom. The course will compare the varieties of theologies that have emerged from within the Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. The study will involve looking at paintings, icons, altarpieces, and socially and culturally engaged works of art as well as pertinent theological writings. Students will be evaluated on class participation, seminar presentations, and a research paper on an approved topic. The methodology used in the course will be a mix of lecture and class discussion on assigned readings. Class participation, 20%; seminar presentations, 30%; Major research paper, 50%.

Emphasis on the history of the iconoclastic controversy and ecumenical councils, especially for the development of Christology. Readings from Nicaea II, Theodore the Studite, John of Damascus and Theodore Abu Qurrah. Iconography and spirituality. Church visit. Lectures-seminar, reflection papers, major paper. Prerequisite: Three courses from the Theological or Historical departments.

Beginning with a quick review of English grammar, the course will introduce the grammar and syntax of the Latin language and provide practice in their use in order to lead students to a reading knowledge of Ecclesiastical Latin: the Vulgate, Canon Law, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Aquinas, hymns and other documents. Evaluation will be based on course assignments, weekly class participation, periodic tests and a final exam. Please note: the second hour of each class is a mandatory tutorial.

The course develops major themes in the history of Christian spirituality, through a close reading of selections by Plato, Origen, Pseudo-Dionysius, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Gregory of Palamas, Julian of Norwich, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and Dorothy Day. Lectures, discussion, critical reflection papers.

The goal of this intensive course is 1. to prepare a student to present the spiritual exercises 2. to allow the student to understand the dynamics of these exercises 3. to expose the student to the underlying theology of these exercises. All this will be done through an close reading of the text of the Exercises from the perspective of the experienced director using interdisciplinary studies in theology, literature, and the humanities. Pre-requisites: 1. Some personal experience of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola; 2. Permission from the professor. NOTE: This course is for double credit and meets twice a week in two 2- hour sections. For Basic Degree Students: word essays, class participation and presentations. For Advanced Degree Students: word essays, 1 major paper, and active class participation.

This course explores the nature of religious experience in some of the major religions of the world, with special attention to Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Native North American, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It includes some comparative analysis between traditions, and creative reflection on the theological and pastoral significance of such comparative study. Lecture, discussion, four short reflection papers, one major essay.

A critical exploration of the mystical, liturgical and pastoral theology of Evelyn Underhill, as she develops these in her novels and scholarly writings. Her thought will be examined in light of contemporary issues in spirituality, such as the status of the body, mysticism and social action, the subjectivization of mystical experiences, and the effect of socio-political structures on spirituality. Lectures, discussion, presentation, critical reflection paper.

The course develops major themes in the history of Christian spirituality, through a close reading of selections by Plato, Origen, Pseudo-Dionysius, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Gregory of Palamas, Julian of Norwich, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and Dorothy Day. Lectures, discussion, critical reflection papers.

Offered in Winter 2014 · New Course · Toronto (St. George Campus) Site

The goal of this intensive course is 1. to prepare a student to present the spiritual exercises 2. to allow the student to understand the dynamics of these exercises 3. to expose the student to the underlying theology of these exercises. All this will be done through an close reading of the text of the Exercises from the perspective of the experienced director using interdisciplinary studies in theology, literature, and the humanities. Pre-requisites: 1. Some personal experience of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola; 2. Permission from the professor. NOTE: This course is for double credit and meets twice a week in two 2- hour sections. For Basic Degree Students: word essays, class participation and presentations. For Advanced Degree Students: word essays, 1 major paper, and active class participation.